Life-saving apparatus.



L. H. DE WYK.

LIFE SAVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I5

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET l.

INVENTOR.

IVITNESSES:

Mm Mm r A rromvz w LQH. DE WYK.

LIFE SAVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATlON FILED AUG-15.1910- LI5Q SU5D Patented AW. 31, 1915 4 SHEETS SHEET 2.

AAQ L L L. H. DE WYK.

v LIFE SAVING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. I5. 1910.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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INVENTOR. Llwdol'f. -H-. De W WITESSES;

BY wu wm M A TTORNE K L. H. DE WYK.

LIFE SAVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15. 1910.

4 SHEETSSHEE14.

Patented A113. 31, 1915.

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h m l A W M ATTORNEKJ ll TEN "FATE enrich.

LUDOLF H. DE WYK, OF GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 31, 1119115,

Application filed August 15, 1910. Serial No. 577,278.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUDOLF H. DE WYK, a subject of the Queen of theNetherlands, and resident of the township of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Life-Saving Apparatus,

of which the following is a specification.

When submarine, or other boats, sink, or, for any cause, cannot be raised to the surface of the water, the crew imprisoned therein sometimes suffocate, not by drowning, but for lack of respirableair.

- The object of'my present invention 1s to provide an improved, simple and effective life-saving apparatus whereby such crew may escape. This object is attained by, and my present invention is embodied in, the mechanism hereinafter described, illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in wh1ch Figure 1 is a side elevation of my lifesaving apparatus: Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same on line 22 of Fig. 1, the life-saving vessel not being shown, and certain parts not being sectioned: Fig. 3 is a like view of the same on a line corresponding with line 3-3 of Fig.2: Fig. 4 1s a horizontal section ofthe same on a l1ne corresponding with line 4,4 of Fig. 2: Fig. 5 is a section of the chamber for containing the life-saving vessel, on a line corresponding with .line 55 of Fig. 3: Fig. ,6 is an enlarged fragmentary view, in vertical section, of the parts shown at the upper left.- hand corner of Fig. 3; Fig. 7-is a side elevertical central section of thezsame: Fig. 9

is a like View of the lower or body part of the same, sectioned on a line corresponding with line 99 of Fig. 8, and illustratingalso the position of a man therein, the ad]us tment of his breathing apparatus, etc., certain parts being omitted: Fig. 10'is a horizontal section of the life-saving vessel on line 10- 10 of Fig. 7 Fig. 11 is a like section of the same on a line corresponding with line 11- 11 of Fig. '9: Fig. 12 is an enlarged vertical section of the bottom part of the same on line 12--12 of Fig. 11: Fig. 13 is a fragmentary enlarged view of parts of the frame-work of the lifesaving vessel: Fig. 14: is a detail view of another part of the same: Fig. 15 is a detail view of the same parts shown in Fig. 14 as seen from antransverse section of the same on line 20- 20 of Fig. 19: Fig. 21' is a fragmentary view of the connection of the parts of the framework shoWn in Fig. 19: Fig. 22 is a detail, enlarged face view ofthe means 'for' tightly closing the door of the chamber 1: Fig. 23

is a side view of the same, and Fig. 24 is a detail view of part of the same.

lprovide a boat'with a water-tight, airtight chamber adapted to be opened to admit'from the interior of the boat and to discharge to the exterior of the boat, a similarly tight vessel adapted to contain a man and to float with him to the surface of the water. This chamber may have a port, or opening, from the interior of the boat through which such vessel may be placed in the chamber, and a second port or opening through which said vessel may pass out into the water, such ports being provided with covers for tightly closing them.

A preferable form of construction of such apparatus and operating devices is shown in the drawings. Reference being had thereto, the air-tight and water-tight chamber 1, cylindrical in shape, has an opening through the outer wall or deck 20f the boat, and another opening into the boats interior. These openings respectively may be tightly closed and opened by their covers 3 and at. The cover-3 is hinged at 5 and may be swung to open or to close it, as by the piston 6 having a connecting link 7 and reciprocating in a cylinder 8, to which air may be admitted through the cock 105, and to which compressed air may be supplied, or from which air may be exhausted, in any suitable manner throughthe pipe 9 having a suitable valve-cock 10. The cover 3 is tightlyheld in its closed position by the screw-bolt 13 passing through an opening in the deck, and having a hook portion 14: to engage said cover, and a nut 15 and a square extremity 16, inside the boat, by which the bolt is operated to holder release the cover. cover, or door, 4%, semi-circular in transverse section, is hinged at 11to the walls 12 of the chamber 1' and may be provided with strengthening bands 115. It is tightly held in its closed position by latches, each comprising a swinging arm 17 weighted at 18 and pivoted at 19 on the wall 12, and a hook 20, spring-pressed at 21, pivoted at 22 on the arm 17 and adapted to engage a keeperlug 23 on the door 4. By reference to Fig. 22, which shows the latch raised in its inoperative position and the door not quite closed, it will be seen that, by the action of closing the door entirely, the striker 24 on the door will strike the weight 18 and tilt it far enough beyond its center of gravity to allow it to fall and carry the arm 17 to its horizontal position; and that, as the arm is thus falling, the hook 20 will engage the lug 23 under the pressure of the spring 21; also that, after such engagement, the action of the further fall of the weight is to more tightly close the door, or to clamp it in its closed position, owing to the location of the pivots 19 and 22 relatively to the lug 23. The door 4 may thus be closed by one inside the chamber, by his merely drawing it shut after him.

One or more (two in the construction shown) side passages 25, having air-tight, water-tight, walls 31, are provided, each leading from an opening through thewall or deck of the boat to the chamber 1. This opening is closed, as desired, by a suitable cover, as the double doors 26'hinged to the deck at 27 and swung by a shaft 33 rotatable as hereinafter described, journaled in a strut 32 and abearing block 116, and having a threaded portion 28 on which travels a nut 29 connected by links 30 to the halves of the cover.

A suitable life-saving vessel 34, buoyant and airand water-tight, adapted to contain a man and to float with him to the waters surface, may be placed in the chamber 1 through the opening having the door 4, and may pass out of saidchamber through the opening having the cover may be constructed of any material'whieh is suitable and sufficient to exclude Water and to withstand the pressure: in the con struction shown the vessel is of waterproof canvas or other suitable fabric, and supported by suiiicient framework. The lowermost portion 35, however, is of sheet metal and has a downwardly-extending rim 36 adapted to fit into the-corresponding annular recess 37 in the bottom of the chamber 1 to more securely seat the vessel therein. To an upwardly-extending rim 38 of such lowermost part 35 is attached, as by bolts 39, the base rim 40 of the framework, which framework comprises vertical supports 41 and 42, circularly arranged and pivoted on the base rim 40, on parallel circular ribs 43 and on the top interior rim 48. By the This vessel pivotal connections 44 between these supports 41 and 42, and by arranging at each such pivotal connection a suitable springpressed catch 45 on one support 41, adapted to engage a pit 46 in the other support 42, the canvas vessel may be partially collapsed and may be extended to its full size and shape as desired. The vessels top or cover portion 47 may be removed to admit its occupant and then replaced by himself. The cylindrical part of this cover is composed of material similar to the body of the vessel and has a framework comprising supports 49 pivoted at 90 on the interior base rim 91 of the cover, and detachably carrying in a suitable retaining recess 50 a circular rib 51. The uppermost portion 92 of the cover is conical and of sheet metal, and may be provided with a small glazed window 98. In guides 93 in ribs 94 of this cone travel the lugs 95 at the upper ends of the supports 49 shouldered at 96 to receive the top rim 97 of the cylindrical part of the cover. It will be seen that by moving these supports 49 upward on the guides 93 the cylindrical part of the cover may telescope inside the 'cone 92. This cone has an opening 102 at the top, which is tightly closed by a corresponding hollow, conical metal cover 99 which is moved to open or close such opening by the screw 100, having an operating hand-wheel 101, as shown in Fig. 18. A suitable rubber buffer 103 at the top of this cover 99 is adapted to press against the insid'e'of the door 3, as the chamber 1 fills with water, and the vessel 34 is raised thereby, as hereinafter explained. The cover 47 may be tightly secured in place by lever latches 52, circularly arranged around the base rim 57 of the cover, each 'fulcrumed thereto at 56 and having a hook 53 pivoted thereto at 54: when the book 53 has engaged and holds the upper rim 58 of the body of the vessel, the handle portion 59 of the latch is then turned to the position shown in Fig. 17, whereby the cover is tightly and securely held in place.

The main portion of the body of the vessel 34 is provided with a collapsible air chamber 60, as of rubber, which may be inflated to impart sufficient buoyancy to the vessel to float its load, even if the vessel should fill with water when the surface has been reached and the cover removed.

In the bottom portion 35 of the vessel are contained an oxygen tank 61, air cooler 62, and air purifier 63, all of any approved form and construction. The occupant, as shown in Fig. 9, has attached to his nose and mouth the breathing apparatus comprising tubes 64 and 65, one for inhaling and the other for exhaling. These lead from a breathing bag or chamber 66 to which oxygen may be supplied from the tank 61 through the tube 67, which is joined ltd by the tube 68 leading from the cooler 62, the expired air passing through the tube 69 to the purifier 63, whence it passes by the pipe 70 to the cooler: these tubes above the base portion 35 being of rubber or other flexible material.

My life-saving apparatus is operated in the following manner: The covers 3 and 26 are tightly closed at all times save when it is necessary to make use of my apparatus. Supposing the ship to besunken, the bolt 13 holding the cover 3 is loosened: a collapsed life-saving vessel 34 is placed in the chamber 1; one of the crew enters the vessel, straight-ens the supports 41 and 4:2 to expand the vessel to its normal shape, inflates I the air chamber 60, adjusts his breathing tilt apparatus, closes the door 4 of the chamber 1, and tightly secures the cover 47 of the vessel in place. Cocks 71 in the waste pipes 72 are closed. The crew in the vessel then turn the cranlr73, rotating its shaft and gearing 7a, which meshes with the gear '35 on the shaft carrying the gears 76 and 77. The gear 76 meshes with the gear 78 on the shaft carrying the gear 79. The gears 7'? and 79 respectively mesh with the gears 80 and 81- which turn the gears 82 and 83 on their shafts respectively. These in turn mesh with the gears 84 and 85 on the shafts 33. Thus these shafts are turned to draw the nuts 29 inwardly to open the covers 26. Water now pours in and fills the chamber (exceptthe space occupied by the vessel 34), the side passages 25 and the open space connecting and below them. This done, the cover 3 is raised as'by exhausting the air from the cylinder 8. Thereupon, the vessel 34 floats out of the chamber and to the surface of the water. The covers 26 are now closed by turning the crank 7 3 and the cover 3 is closed by admitting air into the cylinder 8 through the cock. 105, and compressed air may be supplied from a. suitable source by opening the cock 10. The cocks ii are now opened, and thewater contained. in the chamber 1, side passages 25, etc, runs out of. the waste pipes 72 into the hold of the vessel, air being admitted from the cooks 106 and 107. Thereupon, the cooks 71, 107

and 106 are closed, another vessel 34eplaced in the chamber 1, and the operationis repeated, whereby its occupant escapes. This is continued until only one man remains. lie opens the cock 105 that the piston 6 may readily descend when water fills the chamber he adjusts another vessel in the chamber in such. position that the squared recess 108 of the shaft 110 carried in the base of the vessel fits on the squared end 109 of the shaft lit, rotatable in bearings carried by the walls of the chamber and passages, as shown. Adjusting the cover 4:? and other apparatus, as hereinbefore eatplained, he neat turns, as by any suitable wrench fitted on its squared end 112, the

shaft 110, which action rotates the shaftlll with its gear 113 meshing with the gear 114:, whereby the gears 76 and 78 are turned to open the covers 26, as explained." Water now'enters, the vessel 34: floats, and its top pressing against the cover 3, swings it open, it being balanced to turn easily.

It is manifest that my invention may be embodied in other and varying forms without departing from its essence.

Not confining myself therefore to the details of construction shown and described, I claim 1- I. In an apparatus of the character described, a watertight and air-tight vessel adapted to contain a man and to float with him to the surface of the water, and a boat having a similarly tight chamber and provided with means operable from the boats interior to open and close the chamber to admit said vessel from the interior of the boat and to permit the passage of the same to the exterior of the boat, said boat being provided with a similarly tight side passage leading from the boats exterior to the cham her, and having means operable from within the boat for tightly closing and opening said passage.

2. In an apparatus of the character described a life-saving vessel having a cover with a conical upper portion and a cylindrical lower portion, said lower portion being collapsible and having a frame-work comprising supports adapted to he slid in guides in the conical portion.

In an apparatus of the character described, a life-saving vessel having a conical top portion with an air passage thereth-rough, a corresponding conical cover for said passage and means for tightly clamping the cover on said conical portion to close the passage.

4(- Tn an apparatus of the character described, a water-tight and air-tight vessel adapted to contain a man with air for his breathing and to float with him to the surface of the water,

a boat having a similarly tight chamber and provided with means operablejfrom the boats interior to open and close the chamber to admit said vessel from the interior of the boat and to open said chamber to the exterior of the boat to permit the passage of said vessel to the boats exterior, and means operable from the in.- terior of the vessel. to open the chamber to admit water to float the vessel.

5. ln apparatus of the character described, a boat having a tight chamber closable and openable to the boats interior and also to the boats exterior, and a buoyant and aircontaining vessel adapted to contain a man and float him to the vvaters surface and to supply him with breathing air meanwhile and adapted to be inserted into the chamber its from the boats interior and to pass out of my hand in presence of two subscribing witthe chamber into the water exterior to the nesses. boat, and having means extending through its wall for opening the chamber to the 5 boats exterior and operable from within the Witnesses:

vessel. J. N. VANDENBERGE,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set CYRUS W. RICE.

LUDOLF H. DE 'WYK. 

